Electrical room exit to mechanical room

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anbm

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Location
TX
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Designer
Are there any code issues if the exit door of Main electrical room for the building opens into mechanical room, i.e. we have to go through mechanical room to exit?

NEC 110.26 states "the door shall open in the direction of egress..." so mechanical room may not be a main path of egress if we go with life-safety plan per architectural drawings?


Thanks!
 
Since you don't have to have a path of travel from the electrical room, there is no reason that you couldn't exit into the mechanical room as long as you can exit out of the mechanical room.
 
We are still in design phase now, nothing has been built. I have seen this construction a lot in past and had no issues. This is just a question came from the owner and catch our attention (-:
 
That article does not require you to be able to leave the building. It only requires you to be able to exit the working space. Suppose for example you are dealing with "large equipment" for which two exits from the working space are needed. Suppose one of the two exits happens to be a door that leads into a room with no other door. If a fault in the equipment forces you to leave the working clearance, and if you take that exit, and find yourself stuck in that other room, the NEC is satisfied. You are safe, at least as far as that electrica fault is concerned. You may get bored, waiting for someone to help you get out of the building, but you will be alive, and not in danger of being shocked. That is all that matters.

So, yes, an exit door leading to a mechanical room is acceptable.
 
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